Signal systems



June 19, 1962 v o w l D E 3,040,141

SIGNAL SYSTEMS Filed April 2. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 \5 1s so 3 E 26 1| "T" ":za

Fig.2. i a 18 n n O INVENTOR-S W M4 Wdyit fq and BY Harry C, sg

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June 19, 1962 o. M. WHILDIN ETAL 3,040,141

SIGNAL SYSTEMS Filed April 2. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BYhmkMh-k ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,040,141 SIGNAL SYSTEMS Orvilla May Whildin, 812 Almonesson Road, Westville,

N.J., and Harry C. Steube, deceased, late of Paulsboro,

N.J., by Casimira H. Steube, executrix, 1324 5. Betty Lane, Clearwater, Fla.

Filed Apr. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 805,115 3 Claims. (Cl. ZOO-61.63)

Our invention relates to signal systems, and it relates more particularly to signals which are set off by the opening and closing of mail slots during the insertion or removal of mail therefrom, and which may be in combination with means for manually actuating a signal, as for instance by a visitor announcing his presence at the door.

In our original application for Letters Patent which issued as US. Patent No. 2,759,057, of which this is a successive continuation-in-part, we have shown such a system as applied for instance to mail boxes which as a general rule are disposed outside the locked front door of the household. Thus, not only could unauthorized persons seek to obtain access to the mail box, but the householder prior to our invention had no way" of knowing when mail was placed therein by the mail man. Hence, there was considerable uncertainty as to the actual time of arrival of the mail, resulting in the householder being required to make frequent trips to the mail box, opening and closing the front door in the process, in order to determine whether the mail had yet arrived.

In the past, attempts had been made to provide means whereby the householder would learn when the mail receptacle was opened or closed. However, in the main such means relied on the use of electrical systems which were open to tampering, or corrosion due to the Weather.

vOther attempts had been made to avoid the pilferage susceptibility of mail boxes by utilizing a mail slot in an outside door of the house. Such attempts have not been wholly satisfactory however, for they neither rule out the possibility of reaching thru the mail slot with a suitable instrument to obtain access to the mail on the floor, nor do they in any way protect the bulky mail which is permitted by the mailman to stick in the slot while protruding part way outside of the door.

One object of our invention therefore is to provide a signal system which will be actuated by the opening or closing of a mail slot, whether in a mail box, door, or otherwise, in such a manner as to notify the householder that the mail has arrived, or that someone is manipulating the mail receptacle, as the case may be.

Another object of our invention is to provide a signal system which is substantially incapable of being adversely affected by the weather, fool-proof and temperproof in operation, and easy to install and operate.

A further object of our invention is to provide a signal system which is easily assembled, requires a minimum of changes to standard construction, is inexpensive and reliable in operation and construction.

Other objects will appear from the description of our invention which appears more fully hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating our invention, we have shown in the accompanying drawings forms thereof which are at present preferred by us, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which our invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that our invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and organisations of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate like parts:

3,040,141 Patented June 19, 1962 FIGURE 1 represents an elevational view, partly broken away, and partly diagrammatic, of a mail box, embodying our invention.

FIGURE 2 represents a fragmentary, expanded view, showing the parts used in the cam and spring assembly in a mail box embodying our invention.

FIGURE 3 represents an enlarged, vertical sectional view taken generally along the lines 33 of FIGURES -1, and showing the mail box, alternately with the lid and door in open, and in closed condition, and embodying our invention.

FIGURE 4 represents a vertical sectional view of a mail box with the lid open while the door is in closed condition, and embodying our invention.

FIGURE 5 represents a vertical sectional view of a mail receptacle of modified construction and comprising a door having a mail slot, and embodying our invention.

In accordance with our invention, our signal system may be applied to any mail receptacle, as for instance a mail box, a front door having a mail slot, or a storm door having a mail slot and spaced from the front door in a manner to permit mail to be dropped therebetween.

In FIGURES 1 to 4 inclusive are illustrated a construction embodying our invention and illustrating the use of our signal system in conjunction with a mail box 10 having a container portion 11 with an entrance way 12, a door 13 covering said entranceway 12, a slot 14 formed through said door 13, and a lid 15 covering said slot 14.

The container 11 may comprise a rear wall 16, side walls 17 and 18, a bottom wall 19 and a front wall 20. The front wall may extend upwardly from the bottom 19 a distance substantially shorter than the height of the rear wall 16, and terminates in an upper edge 21. The side Walls 17 and 18 may comprise upper edges 22 which are forwardly and downwardly inclined from the upper edge 23 of the rear wall 16. The upper edges 22 may extend from said juncture 23 to vertical edges 24 which may extend from said edges 22 to the upper edge 21 of the front wall 20. The edges 24 are preferably substantially parallel to the rear wall 16 and are preferably spaced therefrom a distance somewhat less than the dis tance between the front wall 20 and the rear wall 16.

' An entranceway 12 may thus be defined by the upper edge 21 of the front wall 20, the forward edges 24 of the side walls 17 and 18, the upper edges 22 of said side walls, and the upper edge 23 of the rear wall 16.

The door 13 may comprise an upper wall 25 and a front wall 26. The upper wall 25 may be pi'votally secured to the upper edge 23 of the rear wall 16 by means of a hinge 27, and in the closed position of the door 17 the upper 'wall 25 is preferably inclined at the same angle as the upper edges 22 of the side walls 17 and 18. The front wall 26 of the door 13 may extend downwardly from the upper wall 25 a distance substantially greater than the length of the forward edges 24 of the side walls 17 and 18. The slot 14 is preferably formed through the upper wall 25, extending substantially hori Zontally through a major portion of the Width of said wall 25. The slot 14 is of suflicient width to enable mail of ordinary thickness to be passed therethrough.

A suitable locking device 28 may be formed on said door 13 and front wall 20, and adapted releasably to lock said door 13 into closed condition with respect to the container 11 by holding the front wall 26 in juxtaposition to the front will 20, thereby embracing and covering the entranceway 12. The lock 28 may be opened by any means exclusively available to the owner of the mail box 10.

The lid 15 may comprise a panel 37 having a width and length somewhat greater than the width and length of the upper wall 25 of the door 13, and preferably comprises a rearward edge 29, sideward overhanging edges 30 and a forward overhanging edge 31. The rearward edge 29 is preferably pivotally secured to the upper edge 23 of the rear wall 16, and may if desired be mounted on the same hinge pin 27 as the door 13. A suitable spring device 32 may be mounted on the hinge 27 to bear against the rearward wall 16 and the lid 15, operably to urge said lid downwardly and over the slot 13 thereby normally covering said slot 14 from the elements. I

A cam member 33 is mounted on the underface 34 of the lid 15, preferably in proximity to one overhanging side edge 30 thereof, and preferably in immediate proximity to the rearward edge 29. The cam member 33 may comprise a forwardly extending base portion 35 secured by any suitable means such as the weld 36 to the panel 37, and a rearwardly and downwardly projecting camming surface 38 preferably formed along a downwardly and rearwardly extending curve. A slot 39 may be formed in the upper wall 25 of the door 13 in that portion of the upper wall 25 which is opposite the cam member 33, and particularly the downwardly projecting portion thereof, when said lid panel 37 is in juxtaposition to the upper wall 25 of the door 13.

A spring-urged cam follower 40 is disposed preferably on the rearward wall 16 of the container 10. If desired, the follower 40 may be struck out of the sheet metal rearward wall 16 itself. Thus, by suitable stamping or cutting, the follower 40 may be formed of a leaf cut from said rear wall 16 and preferably disposed a short distance below the upper edge 23 thereof, thereby leaving a sill or bridge 41 extending between said upper edge 23 and the upper edge 42 of the slot 43 formed by the stamping out of the cam follower 40. The slot 43 is defined by' said upper edge 42, side edges 44, and the bottom 45 of the cam follower tongue 40. The tongue 40 comprises a preferably flat and substantially vertical leafspring portion 46 extending forwardly of, and upwardly from, said bottom 45, and a preferably forwardly extending upward projection 47 having an upper and rearward edge portion 48 adapted to engage the cam surface 38. The leaf spring portion 46 preferably comprises a forward bearing surface 49 intermediate the upper projection 47 and the bottom 45.

A suitable switch device such for instance as a mercury switch or a microswitch 50 is mounted preferably on the side wall 17, adjacent the rear wall 16, and in proximity to the follower tongue 40 by any suitable means such as the nut and bolt assemblies 51. For illustrative purposes only, we are describing this modification of our invention as utilizing a microswitch 50 which preferably comprises a waterproof housing 58 and which may have a removable rear wall 59, a binding post 52 at the upper end of the housing, a binding post 53 at the lower end thereof, av balanced spring contact arm 54 mounted within thehousing 58 and on the binding post 52 and in electrical contactt therewith, a contact point 55 at the lower end of the spring 54, a contact point 56 electrically connected to the binding post 53 and disposed in the path of the contact point 55, a plunger 57 extending through a suitable bearing 60 in the rear wall 59, a base 61 disposed between the plunger 57 and the spring contact arm 54. The rearward edge 62 of the plunger 57 preferably bears against the forward bearing surface 49 of the leafspring 46 while permitting the spring contact arm 54 to remain in open condition. Suitable insulated wires 63- and 64 are electrically connected respectively to the binding posts 52 and 53 and may extend through suitableorifices (not shown) preferably in the rear wall 16 to the balance. of the electric alarm circuit. Suitable sealing insulation 65 covers the electrical contact between thev wires '63 and 64 and the binding posts, thereby rendering the microswitch 50, and all of its electrical contacts, waterproof. and weather proof.

The electric alarm circuit may be of any desired form, and for illustrative purposes only are shown, consisting of an alarm device such as a door chime 66 actuated by a plunger 67 energized by a coil 68 electrically connected at one end with the wire 63, and at the other end with one end of the secondary coil 69 of the transformer 70. The other end of the secondary coil 69 is electrically connected with the wire 63. The primary coil 71 of the transformer 70 may be connected to the house current or to any other suitable source of electrical supply 72. If desired, a door bell push buttonswitch 73 may also be connected to the wires 63 and 64.

In operation, the cam member 33 is normally disposed behind the follower 40, when the lid 15 is in its normal, downward position covering the slot 14 while the door 13 is in closed position covering the entranceway 12. Lifting the door 13 simultaneously results in lifting the lid 15 about its pivot 27. Moreover, the lid 15 is independently liftable about its pivot 27. In either event, i.e. when the lid 15 is lifted to uncover the slot 14, or when the door 13 is lifted to uncover the entranceway 12, the cam member 33 is swung about an arc whose center is the center of the pivot 27. In so doing, it contacts the follower and bears forwardly against the rearward edge portion 48 thereof operably to urge the follower 40 forwardly and thus advance the plunger 57 into the housing 58 and against the spring contact arm 54 until e contact point 55 disposed at the end of said arm is snapped into engagement with the contact point 56, thereby closing the electrical circuit and sounding the alarm 66. This contact is affected during the initial rotation of the cam member 33 about the pivot 27 when the lid 15 is in proximity to the beginning of its lifting stroke. As the lid 15 is continued to be lifted, the cam member 33 is swung out of engagement with the follower 40, and said follower 40 is spring-urged backwardly to its initial position. In so doing, it permits the plunger 57 to be retracted rearwardly by the spring action of the contact arm 54, said action carrying with the movement of the contact arm, the contact point 55, thereby break ing the electrical connection and ceasing the operation of the alarm. When the lid 15 is again lowered, as when it is returned to covering relation to the slot 14, or when the door 13 is again closed about the entranceway 12, the cam member 33 again engages the follower 40, camming it forwardly until the plunger 57 carries the contact arm 54 into circuit-closing engagement, and the alarm 66 is again sounded. As the lid 15 is continued in its lowering operation, to the position it will have when the door 13 is substantially covered, the cam member 33 releases the follower 40, and the plunger 57 is permitted to be retracted and the electrical circuit opened, thereby ceasing the operation of the alarm 66.

It will be found that by this construction, a large mechanical advantage is set up between the door 13 or lid 15 and the cam member 33, whereby the operation of the member 33 becomes sure and positive, and the mechanical advantages of the follower 40, and spring contact arm 54 are such that the. movement of the follower 40 is reduced to such movement as is necessary to operate a microswitch, and said movement is increased to make a clean make-and-break of the contact points 55 and 56 thereby preventing arcing while assuring instant operation whenever the lid 15 is moved upwardly or downwardly past its critical points.

It will thus be found that we have provided an alarm device for mail boxes, which is waterproof, tamperproof and foolproof, which will not deteriorate with weathering or age, and which can always be depended opened or closed, and the timing of the signal will indicate to the householder whether the opening of the mail box is a legitimate one, as for the insertion of mail, or

illegitimate, as for tampering with the box or its contents, said latter opening requiring a greater time interval between the soundings of the alarm.

In FIGURE Sis illustrated a modified construction of Signal system embodying our invention, wherein said signal system is applied to a door 75 having a mail slot 76 formed therethrough and covered by a suitable closure member 77 In the mail slot shown in FIGURE 5, the lower edge 78 is illustrated as being downwardly and rearwardly inclined so as to facilitate the passage of mail therethrough; but it is to be understood that the shape of the slot 76 is not limited thereto but may be of any suitable configuration. In like manner, the closure member 77 is illustrated as being of the outward lift type; but it is to be understood that it may be of the inward depressible type without departing from the spirit or essential attributes of our invention. As illustrated in FIGURE 5, the mail slot 76 may be lined with a side wall 79 on each of its two sides, a rearwardly and downwardly inclined chute member 80 and a top portion 81. The closure member 77 may be pivotally secured to the upper region of the mail slot lining, as by the hinge member 82. A cam device 83 projects rearwardly from the closure member 77 and comprises a cam follower 84. The cam 83 and follower 84 are adapted to traverse an are 85 whose center is disposed along the longitudinal axis of the hinge member 82. A suitable switch member, such for instance as a microswitch device 86 operated by a plunger 87 extending therefrom, may be suitably mounted on the lining of the mail slot 76, with the outer tip of its plunger 76 intercepting the path of movement of the cam follower 84 about said are 85. The switch 86 is connected by suitable means such as the electric wires 88 to a signal circuit which may be similar to that illustrated in FIGURE 1.

In operation, when the closure member 77 is lifted, the cam 83 swings downwardly and its follower 84 intercepts the plunger 87 operably momentarily to depress the plunger 87, and during the time of said depression to actuate the signal 66. As the follower 84 continues along the arc 85 during the opening process of the closure member 77, it uncovers the plunger 87 thereby permitting it to move outwardly and thus release the signal 66 from actuation. When the closure member 77 is itself released and thereby permitted to return to its closing relation to the mail slot 76 the follower 84 is returned along the arc 85 and again intercepts the plunger 87 in a manner to actuate the signal 66, and again releases said plunger 87 when the closure member 77 is completing its closure movement.

In this manner, the signal 66 is sounded at the beginning of the opening of the closure member 77 and at the end of the closing of said member. Thus, when mail is passed through the door 75 by means of the mail slot 76, the signal 66 will sound twice, but when bulky mail sticks in the slot 76 and extends outwardly therethrough, the door 77 will be prevented from closing and the signal will ring but once. Since such mail is capable of being easily pilfered, the householder is put on notice by having heard but one signal, that he should come at once to the door to remove the bulky mail which is sticking out of the mail slot. Also, should an unauthorized person seek to reach through the mail slot to the interior of the house, he must do so by lifting the door 77 and keeping it in lifted position. By so doing he will have actuated the signal but once, and thus have warned the householder that he is to come to the door. The unauthorized person will then be immediately discovered and the signal will have achieved its purpose.

It should be understood that while one form of soundactuating device is illustrated, our invention is not limited thereto but includes as well any means, electrical or mechanical, of any description, for actuating sound.

We are aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and we therefore desire the present embodiments to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a door; a mail slot extending through said door and comprising an upper wall portion, a bottom portion and a side wall portion extending between said upper wall portion and said bottom portion, said upper wall portion and said side wall portion embodying an upper region; a closure member carried by said door and adapted to be moved between open and shut positions with respect to said mail slot; a microswitch having a housing substantially hermetically sealing the electrical portion thereof, and a plunger extending through said housing and adapted mechanically to operate said electrical portion; a cam device carried by said closure member and traversing a path of movement in the opening and closing of said closure member; said microswitch being mounted on said upper region in a manner to dispose said plunger in said path of movement of said cam device; roller means mounted on one of said cam device and said plunger and adapted to transfer arcuate intercepting motion of said cam device to lineal motion of said plunger during the opening and closing of said closure member operably to close said microswitch during a portion of each of said opening and closing movements and thereby electrically actuate said signal system.

2. In combination, a door; a mail slot extending through said door and comprising an upper wall portion, a bottom portion and a side wall portion extending between said upper wall portion and said bottom portion, said upper wall portion and said side wall portion embodying an upper region; a closure member carried by said door and adapted to be moved between open and shut positions with respect to said mail slot; a microswitch having a housing substantially hermetically sealing the electrical portion thereof, and a plunger extending through said housing and adapted mechanically to operate said electrical portion; a cam device carried by said closure member and traversing a path of movement in the opening and closing of said closure member; said microswitch being carried by said door in an out-of-the-way location with respect to said mail slot, and in a manner to dispose said plunger in said path of movement of said cam device; roller means mounted on one of said cam device and said plunger and adapted to transfer arcuate intercepting motion of said cam device to lineal motion of said plunger during the opening and closing of said closure member operably to close said microswitch during a portion of each of said opening and closing movements and thereby electrically actuate said signal system.

3. In combination, a door; a mail slot extending through said door and comprising an upper wall portion, a bottom portion and a side wall portion extending between said upper wall portion and said bottom portion, said upper wall portion and said side wall portion embodying an upper region; a closure member carried by said door and adapted to be moved between open and shut positions with respect to said mail slot; a microswitch having a housing substantially hermetically sealing the electrical portion thereof, and a plunger extending through said housing and adapted mechanically to operate said electricalportion; a cam device carried by said closure member and traversing a path of movement in the opening and closing of said closure member; said microswitch being carried by said door in an out-of-the-way location with respect to said mail slot, and in a manner to dispose said plunger in said path of movement of said cam device; means mounted on one of said cam device and said plunger and adapted to transfer arcuate intercepting motion of said cam device to lineal motion of said plunger during the opening and closing of said closure member operwbly to close said microswitch during a portion of each of said opening and closing movements and thereby electrically actuate said signal system.

498,550 'Holtum May 30, 1893 8 Landrum Jan. 16, 1923 Mathis June 25, 1929 Lang June 2, 1931 Jeffrey Nov. 28, 1939 Aitken Dec. 24, 1946 Jones July 29, 1947 Repka Nov. 23, 1948 Faulken-bury et a1. Mar. 8, 1949 Lund Apr. 3, 1951 Lester Aug. 11,1953 Crane et a1. Sept. 15, 1959 

